Lawn & Garden

BOXELDER BUGS

Boxelder Bug - Boisea trivittatus. This insect is primarily a nuisance pest at certain times of the year when they enter or rest on structures in very large numbers. The adults are about one-half inch long, black with red or orange markings along the edges on the wings. They have three colored stripes on the back and on the area just behind the head. They may enter homes looking for suitable places to hide from cold weather in the winter where they remain until it begins to warm up outside in the spring.

APHIDS

Aphids – Also known as “plant lice”, aphids are very important pests of cultivated plants such as fruit trees, flowers, ornamental shrubs and even some crops. They suck out the juices of the plant causing the plant to look wilted and even spreading some plant diseases through their feeding habits. Some species of aphids do not have a male gender, although the females have the ability to reproduce live young. Where they occur in large numbers on the same plant, they can cause the plant to die. Ladybugs are an important predator against aphids.

MOLE CRICKETS

Mole Cricket - Family Gryllotalpidae. The mole cricket can be a pest of lawns and turf grass growing operations because of their digging tunnels through and under the grass. They may feed on the roots, stems and new shoots of plants that may make the plant die or do poorly. They have very stout looking bodies, with enlarged front feet equipped for digging in the soil.

LICE

Lice - Head lice infect hair on the head. Tiny eggs on the hair look like flakes of dandruff. However, instead of flaking off the scalp, they stay put. Head lice can live up to 30 days on a human. Their eggs can live for more than 2 weeks. Head lice spread easily, particularly among school children. Head lice are more common in close, overcrowded living conditions.

CRICKETS

Field Cricket - Most people know Field and House crickets. Field crickets are dark to black in color. House crickets look the same but are much lighter. They are normally tan to light brown. Both species will live in and around the home. Both develop the same way. Adult females can lay several hundred eggs. These hatch and the young develop through a series of instars before it fully matures. However, young can do just about everything adults can. It takes a year for a generation to fully develop. Since one female can lay hundreds of eggs, initial activity is usually not noticed. Once eggs hatch and migrate around a home, populations will quickly grow. In the spring, expect to see small field crickets. As the summer goes by, these will grow larger and larger. By fall, adults will be foraging into structures looking for a warm place to spend the winter months.